Chess Against Computer

jstack
122 ( +1 | -1 )Another gameLast week I posted a game I played against a 1900+ player. It was my first win against a 1900+ player in a slow game. I played in our tuesday night fights tournament again this week. I met Lester again on board 1 in the second round. I played the opening horribly wrong. Out of the opening I was down a pawn with no counterplay in sight. Then on move 15 he got overaggressive on the queenside and I was able launch a nice counter attack in the center and on the kingside. By move 22 I had a forced draw but at the time I felt I had an advantage. Now I am not sure. It seems like I should have something. His king is not safe. I have active pieces. But I can't figure out how to make any progress. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. I will plug it into fritz at some point. I just prefer to figure out everything I can first with the help of other humans. Anyway I blundered bad in time pressure. I remember looking up suddenly realizing I have 4 seconds left. lol. Anyway here is the game. I am mostly interested in the position after 22. Qe6.

ccmcacollister
90 ( +1 | -1 )looks to me like therewould be some chances there from leaving his King on g2 after Qh5+ (which was also my move there). Then following with an immediate Nxd4, leaving your Qf3 checks but Nf3 as well. And the knight hitting on e2 meantime and threatening c2. And your Queen still guards e8 for a move like Rae8 to be considered. Also ...Rf6 looks like a powerful move as long as you watch coverage of the back rank, or of e8 at least. That square and g7 look to be your only potentials of attack for him. And he shouldn't get to them if you don't let him. I've only looked at this in otb mode myself, as I want to put myself in your place there, and would certainly rather have Black it seems to me! So if it has fooled you and there is nothing, it seems it would have fooled me too, James. Honestly, I probably would have Flagged too, in otb, while "looking for IT" :) I'll be interested to see what you decide about it in the end. And what is suggested.

ionadowman
224 ( +1 | -1 )Some suggestions...... but first a question for jstack: why did you resign? Or was it a timeout or something? I've had a brief exchange with ccmcacollister in which I expressed my first impressions. I've had more of a chance to look at the game since. 1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 e6 3.Nbc3 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.g3?! Already a provocative line, this seems very risky after Black plays 5...d4! 5...Nf6!? 6.Bg2 Bf5 (...d4 is still good) 7.d4 c4? It's actually quite hard to explain why this is strategically undesirable. Black had a slight edge that 7...cxd4 could have retained. Maybe the isolated d-pawn looks weak, but it is that after ...c5 as well. After this White has the edge. 8.0-0 Be7 9.Nf4 Be6 10.Re1 (10.Nxe6 at once looks good also) 10...Qd6 (10...Nc6 was worth a look) 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.Bh3 (12.Bf4 is an equally attractive move) 12...0-0 13.Bf4 Qd8 14.Bxe6+ (12.Rxe6 looks tempting, but after this capture, White's bishops look good!) 14...Kh1 15.Nb5 Ne4!? (15...Nc6, developing the QN and hitting the Q seems to be indicated here. White has several ways of continuing after the text move. I like 16.f3 and 16.Bxd5 is also fine.) 16.Bc7!? (OK, but maybe Black gets more counterplay than after the alternatives. A judgment call) 16...Qe8 (Forced, but there is an upside!) 17.Bxd5? (I think White goes wrong here, and Black's counterplay becomes very dangerous. I quite like 17.Nc3 Nxf2 18.Qe2 here.) 17...Nxf2! 18.Qe2 Qxb5 19.Qxe7 Nh3! 20.Kg2 Qxd5+ 21.Kxh3 Nc6 (Nothing wrong with this move at all. My first thought here was that maybe Black ought to take the forced draw, though there was no reason not to look for more if something clear cut emerged. White owns the e-file, and otherwise has a big chunk of the centre, often an indication that he's OK. But maybe the exposed King needs to be tested...) 22.Qe6 Qh5+ 23.Kg2 Qf3+ (ccmcacollister suggests 23...Nxd4 instead here. Let's see: 23...Nxd4 24.Qxc4 Qf3+ 25.Kg1 Qf2+ 26.Kh1 Nxc2 27.Rf1... H'mmm. What if 27...Nxa1 28.Rxf2 Rxf2 threatening, say 29...Rc2!? I can't see a win either way here, but it's an exciting line!) 24.Kg1 Qf2+ 25.Kh1 Nxd4 26.Qe4 (26.Qxc4 would have transposed into the aforementioned line. Even so, Black ought probably just to take 26...Nxc2 now...) 26...Nf3?! 27.Re2 1-0?? Premature finish: Black is still in the game after 27...Ng5 with drawing chances. A seesaw game with plenty of action! Cheers, Ion

jstack
49 ( +1 | -1 )Time trouble my middle nameNo I did not resign in that position. I had 3 seconds left on my clock when we reached an ending. I think it was equal material but the time pressure got to me. I dropped a pawn then another one then a knight. Oh well that happens sometimes. Anyway, I was happy to be able to outplay my opponent after such a horrendous position out of the opening(at least that was my impression at the time.) Anyway, Thanks for the analysis. I will take a look at it shortly and give you my thoughts.

1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 e6 3.Nbc3 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.g3 Nf6 6.Bg2 Bf5? I did not realize it at the time but I could have simply played a variation of the closed sicilian. This is my specialty against 1..c5 I should have seen that. [ 6...d4 7.Ne4 Nxe4 8.Bxe4 Nd7 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Bg2 Spassky-Kasparov 1982] - 7.d4 c4 I don't like 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4 since white Gains a tempo by hitting the bishop. This is why I think my Bf5 was a bad move.

In the event of 16.f3 I would try Ng5 And if 16.Bxd5 I would try Nxf2 sacrifice I think in both cases I will get at least some counterplay. - 16...Qe8 17.Bxd5? [ 17.Nc3 Nxf2 18.Qe2 Nc6 I agree white has an advantage here ] 17...Nxf2 18.Qe2 Qxb5 19.Qxe7 Nh3+ 20.Kg2 Qxd5+ 21.Kxh3 Nc6 22.Qe6 Qh5+ 23.Kg2 Qf3+

I agree Nxd4 is much stronger. The question is what is the best follow up? Fritz considers. [ 23...Nxd4 24.Qxc4 Nf3 25. g5 NxR+] (23... Nxd4 24. Qxc4 Qf3+ 25. Kg1 Qf2+ 26. Kh1 Qxp where if 27. QxN then black has Rf2 followed by QxB(after white parries mate threats). Overall I think the position is too complicated to figure out in time pressure even though black has the advantage. 24.Kg1 Qf2+ 25.Kh1 Nxd4 26.Qe4 Nf3 27.Re2 1-0

ionadowman
76 ( +1 | -1 )jstack......that you were in time trouble was not apparent (though not surprising as it is a complicated game). It is a useful convention if you aren't showing a complete game to add the move number that it ended in parentheses after the result. By the sound of it you probably stopped recording at some point, but you might add a + after the move number you stopped e.g. 1-0 (38+), say. That 23...Nxd4 is indeed a complicated line is fair comment, but it is worth mentioning, even if your timetrouble was too acute to examine it adequately. Suppose it has been the only move to save the game, or to win? Seeing that it offered chances might persuade you to shut your eyes, utter a short prayer... and play it. That wasn't the case here, and indeed at move 27 you still had plenty to play for.

ionadowman
76 ( +1 | -1 )jstack......that you were in time trouble was not apparent (though not surprising as it is a complicated game). It is a useful convention if you aren't showing a complete game to add the move number that it ended in parentheses after the result. By the sound of it you probably stopped recording at some point, but you might add a + after the move number you stopped e.g. 1-0 (38+), say. That 23...Nxd4 is indeed a complicated line is fair comment, but it is worth mentioning, even if your timetrouble was too acute to examine it adequately. Suppose it has been the only move to save the game, or to win? Seeing that it offered chances might persuade you to shut your eyes, utter a short prayer... and play it. That wasn't the case here, and indeed at move 27 you still had plenty to play for.

jstack
117 ( +1 | -1 )Time pressure notation.Thanks, I was not aware that there was notation to indicate time pressure. I also would lik e to explain something. Probably it seems ridiculous to play for a win in a very complicated position when there is such an easy draw on the board. There is a method to my madness. In these tuesday night tournaments we only play 3 games. In order to win the advanced section it is too risky to accept a draw. The winner almost always wins all 3 games. Sometimes 2 players score 3 points and they have to split the prize. When I have to split the prize the prize loses some of its luster for me. My rating is still low enough to qualify for the intermediate section prize. But I it is rare for me not to win this. 2 points is often good enough to win this prize outright. I also play for the complicated win for psychological reasons. If I play for the win and fail I will remember the my mistakes better. I will have more experience playing under pressure and the the next time the situation arises maybe I'll be able to handle the pressure better. I am also hoping my fighting spirit will give me a psychological edge over my opponents.